


set me up, buttercup

by theshipshipper



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arya is tired of the jonsa pining basically, F/M, Humor, Scheming Sibling/s
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-04-19 02:56:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14227587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theshipshipper/pseuds/theshipshipper
Summary: For Arya's final film project, she sets an ambitious goal: to set up the two most romantically incompetent people she knows and ace her class while she's at it.It'll be fun.Title inspired by: Sophie T's IG post. (wife me up buttercup)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm at a point in my medical recovery where I can consider re-applying to film-school, so here's a little something I wrote to celebrate that fact. Cheers! :D

**i. Interior. Teacher's Office. Day.**

They're in Beric's office when the topic of their final film project comes up; they're close enough to the end of their film education that it's basically all anyody can talk about.

"I'm doing a punny cooking show type thing," Hot Pie is the first to offer, and they all roll their eyes on instinct.

It's not a surprise that he wants to do something of the sort. A cooking-related type of film is basically his brand, and at this point, they're all just quietly wondering what the hell he's doing here, studying filmmaking, when it's obvious he wants to do something else.

Anguy, Lem and Edric offers up their ideas next, and the conversation goes on for the next few minutes until Arya has to kick Gendry from where she's seated on the floor to get him to cough up his.

He scowled but answers regardless, with an awkward rub of his neck. "A period drama. A smithy falls in love with a Lord's daughter, angst ensues - whether they end up together is still up in the air."

"Ambitious," Arya said, automatic. "How are you going to pull off that period vibe?"

He shrugged. "I'll think of something. How about you?"

She considers the question; she always figured she'd do some sort of psychological thriller or a gory action drama; dark and mind-fucking has always been the mood she went for in her films but it's their last film project, it feels like she should try something new; something fun and exciting.

"I'm doing a romcom," she announced suddenly, to everybody's surprise.

They all seem to think she's kidding, because it really isn't her usual MO, and Gendry's the first to react.

"Are you being serious?" He asked. "For our final project?"

She's never done a romcom before, and their final project is individual work, so she could really easily fuck it up. But while the obvious disbelief in his tone is warranted, his lack of faith in her is offensive.

"I'm serious, why would I be joking about it," she tells him, then she smiled. "I already have most of it worked out. It'll be legendary."

That, apparently, tells Gendry everything he needs to know. He narrows his eyes at her, suspicious, and asked, "what are you up to?"

It's probably more ambitious than his idea, and a pretty difficult feat to accomplish, which is exactly what she's aiming for.

"I'm doing a film based entirely on Jon and Sansa's pathetic pining ritual," she tells them as a plan is formed. "And I'm making them star in it."

  
**ii. Interior. Living Room. Night.**

Sansa will be the first to admit that she was more than a little bit nervous when Arya asked her to star on her final film project; she's seen her sister's works, it's not exactly the kind of film Sansa imagines herself fitting in.

She did offer up her face once, had it casted for Arya to use when she made a film based on the legend of the Faceless Men. That short film did a lot to Sansa's face that she never expected it would, so Sansa has become more careful when it comes to her sister's odd requests.

But she's doing a romantic comedy this time, apparently, and wants her to be the lead; it seems fairly harmless.

"It'll be forty-five minutes long, but alternate POVs and it has a lot of narration," Arya explains to her, her powerpoint presentation now completely abandoned.

Although, calling it a presentation is probably a little too much; it's basically just pictures of Jon haphazardly taken and posted on slides. Apparently, that was her whole sales pitch, that Jon is Sansa's co-lead and she gets to have an excuse to make out with him. Multiple times if she asked Arya nicely enough.

Sansa will admit, that it is a pretty convincing pitch, and although she knows she'll probably regret it in one way or another, she finds herself saying yes.

"Wait. Yes?" A smile slowly erupts on Arya's face, pleased. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "I've never done anything like this before. I think it'll be fun."

Arya, wanting to make sure she's covered all grounds repeats that, "there will be a premiere that you have to attend. At a cinema. It's all very legitimate and public."

Sansa scrunches her nose, as she did at the first mention of it. She'll admit that she's been really prickly when it comes to public attention ever since her break-up with Joffrey.

It was a very public affair, with a lot of speculation surrounding why the _darling daughter of the North_ and the President's son would call it quits.

Most news outlets, as she expected, focused more on why she must not have done enough to keep him happy instead of why she had those bruises marring her skin in those photographs they took on the night of their break-up.

"I heard you the first time, and like I've said, I don't mind," is her only response to Arya, smiling as she watched her sister try to come up with another reason that she might say no.

"Your very obvious thirst for Jon will be caught on camera and played in a big ass screen," she lets her know. "Plus, the final cut will be posted online for posterity. You're okay with that?"

She shrugged, surprisingly unalarmed. "People will assume it's good acting."

You're really game for this," Arya declared, like she didn't expect it.

Sansa couldn't help but snort. "I'm sorry, did you not want me to do it?"

"I do, it's just -- "arya huffed, shaking her head. "I thought it'll be a lot harder than this to convince you."

Sansa can understand that. She's become more careful with everything she does these days, to the point where it barely feels like she's doing anything sometimes.

She feels suffocated by the fear and wants to remove it from her life; Arya's offer came at just the right time.

Besides, she doubts her sister would do anything to intentionally harm her, and Jon is Jon - If she has to do this with anyone, she's glad she gets to do it with him.

"It'll be fun " Sansa says again, repeating her prior statement, and honestly?

She really thinks it will be.

  
**iii. Interior. Night's Watch Bar. Night.**

"No," Jon says as soon as Arya is finished with her whole pitch for the film she wants Jon to do.

He's never actually said "no" to her for anything; she's his favorite person, practically his little sister, and it surprised them both that he would say 'no' to her now.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, incredulous.

"I mean, no, I'm not doing it."

She hasn't told him all the details, but Jon's heard enough to know that it's probably some part of an intricate scheme that involves him and Sansa.

And while Jon would usually jump at any and all opportunity to see Sansa and get a few moments with her, he's wary of what Arya might be up to.

"Did I not mention that Sansa has given her consent to kissing?" She reminds him, almost painfully. "Which means you get to make out with my sister."

Fuck. Obviously that's the first thing he heard in her whole spiel, but he's pretty sure this will bite him in the ass somehow, and he's not sure he should do it.

He crossed his arms over the counter, narrowing his eyes at her. "What are you up to, little wolf?"

She scowled at the nickname but doesn't relent. "Fine, if you don't want to do it then I'll just find someone who will."

A mischevous smile appears on her lips. "Is Sam's brother available, do you think? What's his name again? Dickon?" Arya lets the name linger and smirks when his jaw twitched dangerously. "I bet Sansa won't mind that guy kissing her."

Jon growls, the sound coming low on his throat, and It's apparently enough for Arya to go on. "Great. So, we're agreed. You'll do it?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If she has to nose into their life to make it happen then so be it.
> 
> It's not like Jon and Sansa are the only ones affected by the whole pining thing; at this point, everyone's as invested in it too, as evidenced by the complete attendance of their entire, oddly-intertwined, friend group for this secret meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooooo, I finally re-applied last week and am now officially coming back to film-school. I thought I'd update this to celebrate and hopefully finish the whole fic before the term starts. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :D

**iv. Interior. Winter Beans Coffee Shop. Day.**

"Alright, gang," Arya clapped her hands dramatically as soon as everyone's sitting on the booth.

They're at Jeyne Poole's newly -opened coffee shop, on a Saturday night, actively choosing to scheme her sister and Jon into a relationship instead of minding their own damn business. Some would say that they're ridiculously intrusive but Arya would argue that they're just really, really tired of Jon and Sansa's shit.

They've been skipping around each other for years, and although it's completely understandable after everything they've both been through, she's ready for them to be done with it.

If she has to nose into their life to make it happen then so be it.

It's not like Jon and Sansa are the only ones affected by the whole pining thing; at this point, everyone's as invested in it too, as evidenced by the complete attendance of their entire, oddly-intertwined, friend group for this secret meeting.

"Well, you guys know what I need," Arya told them, clicking her pen. "Give me all the dirt you can remember on Jon and Sansa - " She takes a deliberate look at Theon before she continued. "Only the ones related to their thing for each other. I don't want to hear about anything else. Who wants to go first?"

Robb, ever the drama queen, stretched his arms with a wide grin. "Let me tell you a little story about a dumbass fourteen-year-old boy who had a thing for his best friend's little sister and thought he was so smooth about it. Okay, so... this guy, let's call him Johnnyboy..."

  
**v. Interior. Jon's Apartment. Day.**

"Jonathan?" Jon scoffed, frowning at Arya's tablet. He looked up, turning to her in disbelief. "You seriously did not name my character Jonathan."

Arya grinned mischevously as she munched on her popcorn obviously enjoying this. "You don't like it? I honestly considered John with an H, Robb's suggestion, but I thought that might be too on-the-nose."

Jon felt himself scowl at that as he tried to bring his attention back to the script. Jonathan isn't actually any less obvious and Arya knows it. Sansa's friend, Margaery, usually calls him that to rile him up for her own amusement.

He's barely finished the first page and he's already regretting that he ever agreed to this.

"Sarah and Jonathan," he muttered bitterly under his breath, shaking his head. He can only guess what else Arya had written into the script but the image is already coming together.

He's known the girl all her life, right from the moment she was brought into this world, so he knew from the moment she asked him to do this that there would be some sort of scheme involved, and yet he still agreed to do it.

Not like he could've answered differently; Arya knows him just as well and she knew exactly what to say to make him agree.

"Hold up," Jon said as he flipped to the second page, frowning in slight annoyance. "Why is there a Richard 'Dick' Tarrey character here?"

Jon may not be the smartest person in the world but with how obvious the whole thing had been so far, it doesn't take a genius to figure who this Dick Tarrey character is supposed to be. And it's not that Jon has any problem with Sam's younger brother but if his guess is right, and Arya did manage to rope the guy into this, then Jon's not too sure he can handle that.

It's just that he's too --

 _Dickon_.

Jon can't actually explain it properly but there's just something about the guy that annoys him. It's like he's too -- _everything_. He's perfect; exactly the the kind of guy that Sansa could be happy with. He'd take care of her and treat her the way she deserves but that's exactly what pisses him off.

Jon wants to be that guy for Sansa, he just doesn't know how to make it happen yet. And everytime he sees Dickon hanging around her, there's just something feral inside him that wants to burst out.

"Oh, that," Arya said innocently, a mischevous glint in her eyes as she spoke. "He's just going to provide some delicious conflict that gets the main characters together. It'll be great."

 

**vi. Interior. Sansa's Apartment. Night.**

  
Sansa rolled her eyes for what feels like the hundredth time as she read through Arya's script.

Her sister had sent the file to her via email with only a wink face emoji attached as a message, and obviously, that's enough to alarm Sansa but she wasn't expecting... well, this.

“Why,” she let out, flat, before sighing in resignation.

Objectively speaking, the story seems well-written; it’s gripping and engaging for a romcom. It plays with all the right tropes, it's light and bright, and the non-linear narration makes it interesting. Overall, it’s impressive for a student project, especially since it’s Arya’s first time delving into the genre.

All that said, though, Sansa does have one problem with it. The story is very obviously an accurate yet mildly offending depiction of her - as Arya put it - _thirst_ for Jon Snow, and she doesn’t know how to handle that.

“How did she even - ” Sansa cut herself off mid-thought, her attention turning to Margaery from the other side of the couch. “You traitor.”

There's no way Arya could've found out half the things she'd written into the script without any help, and one of the very few who knows almost all of her embarrassing Jon-related stories would be her best friend, who is, apparently, a stinking traitor.

"Please tell me you at least took a bribe," Sansa said with a groan. "I'd like to think my best friend would betray me for the right reasons."

Marg smirked, amused and completely used to the Stark dramatics by now. "No bribe at all. Arya didn't even have to work for it."

She huffed. "Great. That makes me feel so much better."

"I did, however, have a perfectly good reason to snitch on you," Marg continued. "It's time we make this Jon Snow thing happen, don't you think?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School just started and I'm excited so I wrote this. I also have about 20 films I need to watch before Saturday so I might not update until I finish (that's including my other fics, for anyone who reads them). All that said, I hope you guys enjoy this! :D

**vii. Int. Night's Watch Bar. Night.**

  
"Mr. Bartender," someone from behind him drunkenly calls, making his lips quirk up on a smile instantly. "May I get that delicious pink drink you make so well?"

He turns and spots Sansa leaning heavily on the counter, batting her eyelashes innocently at him. The sight of it makes him snort, amused by her drunken antics and all too used to it by now.

"I thought I cut you off four cocktails ago?"

The bar isn't too crowded like most days, and from the corner of his eye he can see Gendry holding up a camera to record this interaction and Arya whispering right next to him.

Filming for her project doesn't start until tomorrow and it's mostly scenes between different people - Jon is filming some of his scenes with Robb, Sansa with Dickon - so he's not even sure what they're doing right now. He ignores this for now and turned back to Sansa, who is pouting adorably at him.

She pushed her empty glass towards him. "Last one, I promise."

He shook his head and chuckled as he took her glass and sets a new one in front of her.

He's told the other guys to stop giving her alcoholic drinks a couole hours ago, let her sober up a bit.

He knows she'll regret getting drunk in the morning when she realizes she's got a long day of work ahead and then the filming that follows - he's got a very valid reason for cutting her off drinks but all it takes is one smile from her before forgetting all that in favor of giving her what she wants.

One of these days he'll learn how to say no to Sansa Stark, but it's not today.

"You having fun?" He asked as he handed her the daquiri, nodding sideways in the direction of their booth.

Neither one of them turns to look, but Jon just knows that Dickon would be there, probably waiting for her return. Arya invited him out for a drink so he could get to know the cast and crew before they start the shoot but all night he's only been getting to know Sansa. While something dark rumbles inside Jon because of this, he knows that it's all completely by Arya's design.

The girl knows how to make his life hell - and this is some sort of punishment for never listening to her about asking Sansa out before somebody else does.

"Yeah. It's fun, I guess," Sansa answered, licking the sugar off the glass as she took a sip. "It would've been a lot more fun if you got to join. Dickon's pretty cool, I think you guys would get along."

Jon tries not to make a face. He highly doubts her statement but even drunk, Sansa's very perceptive, so he tries to keep his expression clear of any negative emotion.

As though on cue, she laughs after a moment, seeing right through him. Thankfully, she doesn't comment on it. Instead, she got off the stool and smiled at him. "I have to get back. You'll come by our table on your break?"

He nodded in affirmation, giving her a soft smile he can only ever muster for her. "Count on it."

He does come by some hours later to eat his dinner, and he slides right next to Sansa with Dickon on her other side.

Across from them is Robb and Margaery, both not even trying to hide their glee over this. They're probably expecting some sort of pissing contest -- but Dickon doesn't seem the type and Jon's not at all drunk to do something that stupid, so they all remain polite in the fifteen minutes that he's there with them.

Later into the night, Gendry slides into a stool in front of him, setting his camera down in exhaustion.

"What are you even recording?" Jon asked, knowing that he has more chances of getting an answer from him than Arya.

Gendry shrugged. "Behind-the-scenes footage, I think?"

Jon narrowed his eyes at him. "But we're not filming yet. And we already did that table reading thing days ago. What are you really filming?"

"I don't really know," he admitted with a confused frown. "Arya just asked me to keep rolling so I did."

Honestly, Jon doesn't have a reply to that. He knows how it works; to some people it might not make sense to follow someone so blindly like that but... maybe that's just how it is for people who find themselves falling in love with a Stark.

He hands Gendry a bottle of beer, commiserating. "Yours on the house."

 

  
**viii. Ext. Street. Night.**

  
"Seriously, you're so annoying," Arya stated drunkenly, punching Gendry in the arm lightly as they walked. "Why are you being so secretive about it?"

Gendry lets out a short laugh. "I am not. I just want - "

"To keep it a secret," Arya finished for him knowingly. "Hence, being secretive."

She doesn't get why he's weird about it the whole thing, she just wants to know if she can do anything to help him on their project. It's individual work but that doesn't mean she's not allowed to help.

Besides, her film is relatively easier to do than his, considering the amount of detail that goes into a period film, so she knows he can use all the help he can get -- but he's been brushing her off every damn time she asks about it.

Gendry scoffed at her in response, rolling his eyes in aggravation. "I just want it to be surprise is all."

She huffed. "I don't want to be surprised, I want to help."

He shook his head, annoyed even though he's be used to her antics by now. "You don't need to help because I've got it all covered. You'll just have to wait until the premiere to see the final product."

Which is really her whole issue on the thing; Arya's usually always the first to know whatever Gendry's doing. In fact, she's usually the first one on his team whenever they have projects, just as he's always the first on hers. Yet somehow he still hasn't offered a single detail about how his project is going aside from the basic facts.

"Fine. Just tell me something about it then. You don't have to be specific, just whatver." She thinks about it for a second. "How about the title? What's it even called?"

She's hoping he'll tell her that at least, but he sees right through her question immediately. If it's period, the title could be based off something she knows and it could be enough to narrow it down from there.

"You'll find out once it's all done," he said firmly, annoying her even more.

She scowled and blocked his path, squinting to study his expression. "What are you up to?"

"Me? What about you?" He retorted, aghast. "What's up with all this BTS footage of Jon and Sansa you made me film? I read your script, you don't even have bar scenes. What's it for?"

They don't keep secrets from each other; they've been partners-in-crime since day one and she's irritated that he's being weird now so she decides to get even. "Apparently, you have your secrets and now I have mine."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Don't be dramatic. I just want it to be finished first, okay? Trust me. It has to be perfect before you see it."

She sighed in annoyance. _Fuck that_ , she doesn't care about perfection or whatever the hell he's worried about. She'd already seen all his terrible works, she doesn't get what he has to be worried about at this point into their friendship.

With a huff, she says: "You know what? Maybe I want my film to be a surprise for you too. You know, I just realized -- you don't have to help me anymore. Edric volunteered to be my DOP, anyway, he probably won't mind taking over for you."

Gendry scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, I already said I'd do it."

"Then tell me what you're doing for your project so it's fair or you're off my crew," she bluffed.

Gendry looked up at the night sky as if trying to summon some patience. "Seven hells -- my film's about you, okay? It's about you and your infuriatingly stubborn personality." He turned to her. "There it is, happy now?"

She scoffed. "Fine. Don't tell me, then. As if I really wanted to know," she muttered irritably as she started walking, leaving him behind. "I just thought I'd help you out but nevermind that."

"Stranger take me," she hears him mutter behind her with a chuckle. "You're gonna drive me crazy one of these days."

 

**ix. Int. Jon's Apartment. Day.**

  
"Bobbert, it's your line," Arya shouts for the third time now. "Seriously dude, get it together."

Jon glanced at his best friend, spots the bags under his eyes and notes the constant yawning. Basically, he looks like shit and Jon thinks it's karma. It's what he gets for enjoying and egging on Jon's very obvious jealousy last night.

"Sorry, boss," Robb said as he rubbed his forehead. "Also, I think Bobb sounds better than Bobbert."

Arya rolled her eyes but doesn't argue about it. The name was completely Robb's decision and Jon privately thinks that it isn't any less stupid when shortened and isn't any less obvious either.

"Alright, let's go again," Arya announced, and they go back to their first mark. "Ready? Three, two, one - Action!"

Robb turns to him with a serious expression, fully immersed in his role as the camera rolls. "Look, I know you think you're being subtle but even I can tell how fucking gone you are for my sister. Just admit it."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jon clears his throat, feeling a bit exposed even though they're supposed to be acting.

This is almost the exact conversation he's had with Robb some months ago, and though he'd prepared himself for this when he first saw the script, he still wishes he could strangle his best friend for sharing this very private conversation with others.

"Don't play stupid. I see how you are around her, how you can't help but smile everytime she so much as turns your way. Gods, literally every time she enters a room, your face lights up like a damn christmas tree." Robb laughed. "There's no use pretending. It's ridiculously obvious, man, and I don't know why you think you have to hide it."

Jon huffs, not even acting at this point. This is literally everything he'd already said. "Because, Bobb, no matter how much I like her, _Sansa_ doesn't see me like that. She only sees me as a friend." He paused, blinking in confusion. "I mean Sarah. She doesn't -- "

He shuts his mouth when he sees a grin slip into Robb's face. There's no way to amend his mistake now and he turns to Arya for instruction, pretending he didn't just say Sansa's name.

"That wasn't too bad, actually. It felt really genuine but let's try it again," Arya said, and he thought she might actually let it go until she adds: "This time, try to pretend you're not talking about Sansa, okay?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so... I lied. Here's another chapter hahaha. But seriously, I have to go and watch movies now. Hope you guys like this! ;)

**x. Ext. Wolfswood Park. Day.**

  
On the first few days of filming, Jon and Sansa shoots their scenes seperately. Jon usually films his scenes in the morning before he has to go to work and Sansa shoots hers after. It's all pretty uneventful, really, just normal filming stuff, which is exactly as Arya expected.

She's saving all the entertaining scenes for later, just to build up more tension between her actors.

The last couple of days, she had Sansa and Dickon film their scenes together and made sure to send Jon some BTS photos. For no reason other than to remind him that if he doesn't make a fucking move then someone else would surely sweep her sister off her feet.

It's a lie, though, because Sansa's just as gone for him as he is for her. Arya can tell, no matter how good Dickon could be for her sister, that it's not how it works. You don't tell your heart who to love, it just loves who it loves. And for Sansa, that's Jon.

Not that Arya's against it; she completely, whole-heartedly, supports it. This whole charade is proof of that fact. She just wishes they'd get on with it; end the fucking pining and head to the part where they love and cherish each pther like the dorks they actually are.

She's hoping her scheming helps speed the process.

Today will be the first time Jon and Sansa are shooting a scene together, and she'd chosen to film the montage of their characters having fun leading to the scene where they get together.

That whole part comes later into the story but she decided to go for it now. The plan is to show Jon and Sansa how good it could be, if one of them just decided to make a fucking move, before bringing them back down to reality when Arya throws Dickon in the mix during filming next weekend.

She really had a lot of ideas, going into this. Jon and Sansa have been equally ridiculous, trying to pretend they weren't severely into each other, but no one but the two of them ever bought it. And when it came down to deciding which of the two Arya was going to give a hard time, the decision was tough to make.

Ultimately, though, she decided that her sister deserves a bit of romancing and that Jon could use the push in the right direction, make him finally listen when he hasn't before.

"Okay, do more pining," Arya says vaguely after she calls cut. She's not exactly sure how to explain the scene but she knows Jon and Sansa are experts in pining for each other; they'll figure it out. "I want more of those tortured gazes when the other's not looking."

The pair of them glare at her instantly, evidently aware of the teasing undertones in her direction. They're probably both thinking the other might catch on to her barely hidden insinuations, afraid their feelings will get found out for the worse.

Seriously, they deserve each other.

 

  
**xi. Interior. Winter's Beans Coffee Shop. Night.**

  
"How did she rope you into doing this, anyway?" Sansa asked as they sat on a corner booth in Jeyne's coffee shop while Arya and her friends set everything up.

It's supposed to be Jon's day off today but he's sacrificing it to shoot. He's a busy guy with two part time jobs in between classes, he's literally giving up his only free time to do this, that's including the past few days, which is why she's curious to know what, exactly, got him to agree to this.

It's not even like they're getting paid for this. Well, not in normal currency, anyway. Arya's paying Sansa through pictures of Jon, just random ones everyday until filming ends, and while it does give her a reason to smile when she gets them, his pictures doesn't exactly serve any purpose other than that, so she doubts Jon would agree to a similar set-up.

Whatever his reason, It's got to be really worth it.

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck in what Sansa knows to be a nervouse tick of his. "Um... just... Arya was very convincing."

"Really?" She asked skeptically. "How so?"

"Just... you know." He cleared his throat again. "Stuff. I mean, it's her last project, of course I wanted to help."

She squinted at him, unsure if he's lying or not. "So you're really getting nothing out of this?"

"Well... I wouldn't say nothing." He turned to her with a shy smile. "I get to spend time with you, don't I?"

 

**xii. Ext. Starks' Estate. Night.**

  
Jon feels his heart hammering in his chest as he looked at anyone but Sansa.

This is the part of the film where it deviates from the truth; in their next scene, Jonathan will muster up the courage to make a move on Sarah where Jon had failed with Sansa a little over four years ago.

The broad strokes of today's shoot went differently from that night years ago - they had Ghost with them at the park that first time and they went to the cinema afterwards instead of grabbing coffee, and some other little things that Arya altered for film purposes.

But whatever changes there are, this is exactly where they ended up; right in front of Sansa's house as he contemplated on kissing her or not.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Jon asked for what feels like the hundredth time before they start the scene.

He turned to look at her, trying to gauge her expression. She seems more amused than anything, which makes him feel even more agitated about the whole thing.

Should I not feel nervous? He wonders. Is this supposed to feel normal if I didn't have tomantic feelings for her?

"You're being weird," she says by way of answering and she's probably not wrong.

He sighed, rubbing the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "Sorry... I just want to make sure that you're really okay with, you know..."

Kissing me.

"Jon, it's fine. Seriously. But I am starting to think you're not okay with it," she pointed out teasingly. "It's kind of offending."

He feels his cheeks grow warm. "It's not like that. Of course I'm fine with it, it's just -- I don't want you to feel weird or anything."

"Why would I feel weird?"

"I don't know..." He mumbled awkwardly. "Because it's me?"

She gives it a thought. "Maybe that's exactly why I don't feel weird about it."

Before he could think more on it, or even ask her what it's supposed to mean, Arya announces that they're ready to roll.

Jon turns to her with a scowl. They've got their mics on, which means Arya definitely heard the entire exchange, and she probably wants Jon to suffer some more as he tried to figure out what the hell Sansa meant when she calls for action right that moment.

When the camera starts to roll, it's very easy to get into character. When he was doing his scenes with Robb and the ones with Arya days prior, it felt a little ridiculous and it took time to get into it, but with Sansa it's all easy and natural.

And he doesn't even have to pretend he's falling in love with her, he's already all the way there.

"May I kiss you?" Jon asked as they land on their final mark, standing right in front of her house.

He waits for her answer with baited breath, even though he already knows she'll say yes from the script, and he's even less prepared as she leans in to catch his lips on a kiss.

He feels like something inside him burst, like he's pouring all his feelings into that one kiss. It's like he's melting and burning at the same time, It's like getting punched in the chest and liking the sensation, it's like he's floating on air and falling at the same time -- and just feels like nothing he can aver truly explain.

"Alright, cut," Arya shouts after a while, dragging him back to reality before he and Sansa pull apart.

For a moment there he'd forgotten that they weren't alone; he actually thought it was real and he's kissing her because she wants him to, not because he's supposed to.

"That was disgusting for me to watch but it was perfect," Arya tells them with a smug-as-shit smile on her face. "Um, seriously -- so good. Uh.. just, we need to take another shot from a different angle but otherwise it was great. Don't change anything, just go for it just as eagerly, alright?"

They do the take more times than Jon can probably count, and though he's not complaining, he knows Arya's doing it on purpose.

For some reason, she keeps coming up with excuses to make them repeat the take, no matter how lousy the exuse is.

"Okay, this is the last one so really savor the moment," she finally decides after a while, grinning all the while. "For science."


End file.
